Mudvayne
Lost And Found

THE REVIEW

Finally, Mudvayne returns with "Lost And Found," the third release from the Illinois band.
I have been eagerly awaiting this album as I find their previous two records, "LD50" and "The End Of All Things To Come," stunning within their genre.

Before the release of this album, my main concern was that "Lost And Found" would be what "Vol. 3 (The Subliminal Verses)" was for Slipknot last year – in my opinion, a disappointing album due to a sudden and unexpected melodic shift that softened the hard sound of the nine from Iowa.
From the cover alone, you can sense that something might have changed: no more strange covers reminiscent of alien environments, but just a helpless child in front of a menacing tornado. Could it be that the tornado is a metaphor for describing the sound of this album? Well, there's "Determined" to confirm this theory as it kicks things off: it's the classic Mudvayne-opening track that follows the style of "Dig"; a powerful smack to show they're getting serious. Then you encounter "Pushing Through," another shot of adrenaline, less direct than the previous one but equally impactful (the ending gives chills!).
"Happy?" is a track I was already familiar with since it had been available online for about a month: I must admit that when I first heard it, it didn't seem like much, but within the album, it gives me a completely different impression: I like it a lot, mainly because of that initially melancholic pace that gradually grows. Very beautiful, one of my favorites. "IMN" is also nice, with a great performance from singer Chad. "Fall Into Sleep" is the second melodic piece after "Happy?", with a very sad lyric ("I have a dream, but nobody cares"...) featuring a catchy chorus. "Rain. Sun. Gone." closes the first half of the album: a nice song, noted for its Deftones-esque guitar.

And after a great first half (the initial trio of songs is outstanding), we move on to the second part of this album. "Choices," with its 8 minutes, is the longest song on the album, and this gave me hope that they wanted to return to the past, to the long and simultaneously beautiful songs that made up the magnificent "LD50"... Well, what can I say, it might take me some time to appreciate this song, but for now, it seems like a very good track, with a chorus devoted to melody. "Forget To Remember" (which takes on the bittersweet style of "The End Of All Things To Come") and "Tv Radio" are more or less on the same line, both very beautiful as well, and they go by without any issues (note the slightly "computerized" voice of Chad in the chorus of "Tv Radio").
With "Just," they return to hitting hard just as they know how. Three minutes of pure Mudvayne. "All That You Are" is one of the most melancholic episodes of the entire album (indeed it vies with "Happy?" and "Fall Into Sleep" for the title of "heir" to the beautiful "World So Cold"), thanks to a slow pace and a sad atmosphere that continue throughout the track; and then we find ourselves at the end, with a fairly intense "Pulling The String," definitely more so than "Key To Nothing," the closing track of the previous album.

Although I was initially partially disappointed, in my view, "Lost And Found" is the album that definitively confirms this group, mainly due to a more balanced use of the alternation of melodic parts and anger compared to the past (something that was already beginning to be seen in the previous album), making their sound more personal and less trapped in useless clichés. If the third album is the decisive test for a band, I believe the four from Illinois have passed this hypothetical test, proving wrong those critics who counted them as failures from the first album. Excellent performance, as usual, from Chad Gray and Ryan Martinie, and also Matt McDonough, but I was particularly struck by how Greg Tribbett's guitar sound has definitely changed compared to "The End Of All Things To Come," something that might be negligible but deserves to be mentioned.

However, one thing is certain: Mudvayne remains one of the few nu-metal bands that hasn't yet lost credibility (unlike many nu bands, who in the last three years have released products that are disappointing to say the least); one of the most known and appreciated bands in the nu scene but still at a safe distance from the lights of the mainstream (not a small thing).
Returning to the judgment on "Lost And Found"... For me, it's a great album, perfectly in line with their two previous works (I want to point out that I've only had this album for about two weeks, but I've already worn it out!)... Highly recommended for those who already appreciated the band's previous works.

Those who feared, like me, a "Vol.3" Mudvayne version can rest easy and finally enjoy "Lost And Found".